Everyday I'm Shuffling
by Classicsrule
Summary: Time for an ipod shuffle challenge for Jukebox. Be warned, as some of these stories are very grim dark. Read at your own risk.


AN: Kay, I'll admit, I'm very nervous for this because a lot of the songs on my Itunes are short and I'm not sure if I'll be able to write these short structures well since I won't be able to go back and edit them...but damn it, I wanna finish up a story! Been working on a bunch but haven't been able to end them properly, so I'm sure a little writing challenge will do me good.

And now, onto some stories about one of the most underrated pairings in history...  
XXX

Nageki no Mori, from Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni

As leader of Deluxe, it was mandatory that she head down to Motorcity and look over the scars left from the war.

Some days she used a hologram of herself for checking, as she just couldn't handle seeing with her own eyes that this once proud and resilient city could be torn to shambles. On other days, when she knew her reputation was more important to protect than her emotions, she would bite back her sobs and look over it personally.

Corpses. So many corpses. She stepped over each of them, uncomfortably aware of the eyes that bore down her neck. The soldiers respected her, but that line was a very thin thread. The only reason they were even following her orders was because her stature made her appear as ruthless and intimidating as Kane. If she showed even a hint of care toward these hundreds of bodies, she'd lose control of the soldiers.

So she swallowed the lump in her throat.

The garage was torn to shambles, like all the other buildings. Jacob's body was unrecognizable under the blood and oil that coated his flesh. She almost thought Chuck had fallen asleep against the wall when she found him. The dry blood on his shirt told her otherwise. Texas was hunched over Dutch like a protective older brother, trying in vain to stop the bullies from beating on him. Dutch had his own arms wrapped around R.O.T.H., his mouth hanging uselessly in the midst of an apology.

So she forced back the tears in her eyes.

Mike Chilton, a hero and protector to the very end, was found dangling awkwardly on a wire that came from Kane bot. The spark staff lay below him, its skeleton still glowing red and waiting for its master to return and fight again. Already bruised by the beatings he'd recieved from Red, Mike had never stood a chance. Not that that stopped him. Nothing could. So, like the stupid, stubborn, brave, and compassionate man that he was, he escaped and held back the bots...but it wasn't enough. And she could see in his soulless eyes the remains of shock and regret and guilt.

So Julie buried her face in his frigid chest and cried.  
XXX

Broken, by Gorillaz

He felt torn.

It wasn't like she was gone for good-Deluxe just had a lot of problems at that time, and she had to take care of it because she was Kane's best intern or whatever. But that didn't mean he didn't miss her.

Especially since the last time they spoke, they didn't leave on the best circumstances.

Mike had done something reckless, as usual, and Julie had scolded him for it, as usual. The two fought it out like an old married couple, as usual, and Mike had expected her to forgive him, as usual.

But instead, she had said, "Do you have any idea how I'd feel if I lost you?!" Then she'd hopped into Nine Lives and hadn't returned for three days.

And it was only through those words that Mike finally realized how stupid he was being, and how much he meant to her and...how much she meant to him.

If she was as broken as he was, he prayed that they could piece themselves back together.  
XXX

Din's Power, from Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Soundtrack

Mike could play the harp. Julie shouldn't have been surprised now that she thought about it. His hands were big, rough, calloused, and strong. It's only natural that he could make music with the divine instrument without getting hurt.

Julie could dance ballet. Mike shouldn't have been surprised now that he thought about it. She was agile when she fought, and her hair flew over her shoulders and she twirled on her feet with serene grace. He wondered if Kane even allowed that sort of dance in Deluxe.

The two could perform their hidden talents best when they were together. Mike strummed a wonderful, lovely tune on the harp. A tune lively and beautiful enough to have Julie's feet take over her instincts and let her dance and twirl freely around the garage, always in tune with the melody. Mike watched, now only half engrossed in his playing.

By the time he'd finished the song, Julie was red in the face, and Mike's fingers were sore. They had no regrets.  
XXX

Smile Like You Mean It, by The Killers

His face was going to break any minute. For the love of God, when could he stop smiling? When could he stop hiding how tired he was?

He was the calm, cool, collected leader. He couldn't let his mask drop just yet. He still had to fight. He still had to get his team out of this. If his confidence fell, what if his team fell apart with him? He could smile for a little longer. A few more minutes wouldn't hurt.

By the time the fight was over, Mike's smile had been reduced to a twitching grimace, and he had to hide his mouth in his arm when Julie walked up to him and asked if he was okay.

He lied that he was doing just fine for the thousandth time, distressed when he saw that she wasn't buying it. With little effort, she brought his face out of his arm and studied his mouth and eyes. Then her own face softened as she touched the sides of his mouth tenderly.

"Goddamnit, Mike...Only smile when you mean it."

His laughter dissolved into sobs, and she wordlessly held him closer.  
XXX

El Manana, by Gorillaz

A nightmare. That was all this was. It had to be. There was no other explanation.

Why else would he be watching his beloved city bleed and give up right before his very eyes?

Why else would he see Dutch running, carless, defenseless, through the city in a hopeless effort to save the remaining inhabitants?

Why else would he watch the Duke, drunk and stumbling through the city, get his body disintegrated by incoming Kane bots?

And...why else would he be seeing Julie, alone, trembling, and frightened for the first time since he'd met her, hiding behind a building and silently praying that this would all end soon, and that she was sorry for failing her team and being a bad Burner?

He closed his eyes, some tears managing to escape. It was a dream. He'd wake up any moment and see Julie next to him on the hood of Mutt, with a smile on her face as she scolds him for sleeping on such a stiff piece of metal.

He woke up to Red's sick laughter as he saw Julie burn alive.  
XXX

This Is War, by 30 Seconds to Mars

They had won...everything was okay. Julie had managed to break Mike out of his cell, and he had brought the Burners back together so that they could be an unstoppable team again. Kane had surrendured, the weapon had been stopped, and the Motorcitizens wouldn't have to run for their lives ever again.

Mike had never felt more proud of his friends. And they said they wouldn't last without him. The fact that they had managed to build a weapon to counteract Kane's proved how wrong they were about themselves. He may have been the leader, but him missing didn't make them any less of a team.

The fight was done, and he found himself collapsed against Julie in an exhausted and relieved heap. She spent the rest of the week taking care of him, tending to his wounds, and telling him how important he was to them, how hard it had been without him. And he just laughed, touched her cheek, and murmured, "You did better than I ever could."  
XXX

19-2000, by Gorillaz

Sometimes it was nice to take a drive, as Julie had learned recently. Not the usual drive, where they nearly broke the sound barrier and could only see dozens of lights speeding by them, but a regular drive of two digits per hour, with she and Mike in Jacob's snug Monster Truck.

Mike drove, of course, but Julie saw his foot twitch over the gas pedal every now and then. He didn't like speed limits. They didn't exist in his world. But all she wanted was for them to enjoy a nice ride together, talk to one another, just get some fresh air. It'd be nice change of pace from hanging out at Antonio's, she'd thought.

So when Mike's grip on the steering wheel left dents, Julie switched to plan B and turned on the radio. An upbeat, funky, and well known song played, and it didn't take long for Mike to relax and nod to the beat. Pretty soon he was singing, then Julie was singing, then the two were just hanging loose and enjoying the smooth ride.

By the end of the trip, Mike agreed to do it again soon.  
XXX

AN: Okay! That's where I draw the line. Not sure if I'm supposed to do ten songs or so, but all I can say is that I'm friggin exhausted. This was very challenging, and I can't say I'm too proud of many of these stories since I'm not allowed to edit them, but hey, I enjoyed the game, and I'm glad I could write some more about these two.

And I am pretty proud of the first story. That song just depresses the crap out of me, so I immediately thought of the last episode.

Speaking of which, WHO'S READY FOR THE FINAL EPISODE?!


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